Miss Hook?
by achiyalabopa
Summary: Hook's daughter, Ruby, has been given her first mission on the Jolly Rodger: To infultrate Pan's hideout. After a slight mishap, Ruby soon becomes the new Lost Boy, Ruben.. ohh dear.. How will she react? Will the boys find out her secreat lineage?
1. Aboard The Jolly Rodger

**Okayy guys and gals, my first fan fic :)**

**Not gonna reveal if there's gonna be any romance in or not, this just came to my head. I think I'll continue with such a big idea though (you're welcomee my dearss :'D )**

**okayy i dont want to keep you waiting much longer soo *drumroll* **

**ta da! have a read, and maybe a review if you have the timee? i'd appreciate it ^_^**

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**Prologue**

"Daddy!" The little four-year-old Ruby squealed, her short, stubby fingers stretched out as she reached for her father. Daddy had finally come to see her. After going out to sea, leaving a pregnant Mummy behind, he's back.

"There's my girl!" Daddy exclaimed, scooping up his girl in his arms for the first time. She clung to him tightly, almost as if she were a Kuala bear. It felt just like she had always imagined it; that warm fuzzy feeling that imitated that of Mummy's hugs perfectly, the prickly feel of his stubble that Mummy used to moan to herself about, the salty smell of the ocean and his breath, lined with a hint of rum despite his sober appearance. All of it. This was the Daddy she had seen in her dreams, the Daddy her Mummy used to tell her about.

The Daddy who had come to take her with him, deciding that, although female, she will take over her father's place when he either retires or dies. At the time, this all seemed like babble to Ruby. All she cared about at that moment was the fact that her Daddy was here with her.

Getting tired, she shifted her position slightly in his arms, hoping to get comfy enough to nap a little. As she did so, something cold brushed her bare side where something had caught her t-shirt. She tugged the material, trying to break it free and see what this strange thing was. Harder and harder she pulled until she heard a _rip_ and her t-shirt had been torn.

What was behind the torn material, in the place of a right hand, was a strange, shiny, round hook...

**Chapterr One**

"Man the riggings! All hands on deck! Avast, ye scurvy dogs!" I yelled, trying to master my perfect Captain's holler. I turned to my audience, Smee. "How was it?" I asked. I REALLY wanted Dad to hear it. He'll be so proud, he'll promote me to crew watch manager right on the spot! All I currently was to them was a skivvy, doing any spare little jobs they had. Occasionally, when I was with Dad, he'd let me command his crew for a few minutes, to test my capabilities and my promise in this trade.

" 'Twas remarkable, Miss!" He exclaimed whilst mopping the deck. "Cap'n will be proud to call ye his crew."

"Aww, thanks for that, Smee." I patted his shoulder gently, stopping to think for a moment. "I really need to stop this affection business, don't I?"

"Aye, but don't ye trouble yerself with it fer now, ye just need to focus on yer daily duties at this stage." He reassured me softly. Out of all the crew (except Dad, of course), Smee was my favourite. No matter what way I looked at it, the ship was no place for a young girl to grow up. Huge, drunk men, sailor's language, constant fist fights, all of it contained and controlled with the shrill bellow from one man: the Captain.

Despite all the downfalls and the harsh reality that was life in the crew, at the end of the day (when sober), we're all family. We get along (when sober) and look after each other (when sober). And I, a small, frail young lass (who happens to be their only heir to the Hook dynasty), am untouchable. Be it drunk or not, they will harm not even a single hair on my head. I am perfectly safe and well-protected here.

Also, when I say small, frail young lass, I meant what I was when I first joined up to the crew at age four. But, of course, my only job then was shuffling playing cards and cleaning out mugs. Since then, I have been trained in swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, perfected the aim and use of our canons and my smart mouth can bring any man to their knees! (Okay, maybe not, but at least let me think that last one's true okay?).

And today, my fourteenth birthday, I'll have my first involvement in the crew's land-missions. This was going to be my first taste of solid ground in ten years. I had Smee cut my hair for me earlier that morning (instead of my usual knife skills performed by yours truly). Long hair was not something any crew member would have wanted, except for the Captain, of course – who doesn't need to cut his hair as he doesn't do any of the dirty work, he controls it. Also, the reason behind the haircuts, which have been against my father's wishes, was to mask my femininity to those on land. As a girl, I appear weaker, and would get attacked or maybe even ambushed by the cursed Pan and his Lost Boys.

According to Dad, the last girl they encountered, Wanda or something – I can't remember, was snatched from her home and forced to be their sick idea of a "mother". Dad tried to let her become one of us, but she refused, and after Pan had "rescued" her, she disappeared from the face of Neverland. Rumour has it that Pan had thrown her into the Mainlands, never to return.

"Ruby, dear," Dad called from his cabin, "I have a little something for you. I think you'll find it rather... useful for today."

Excited with the possibilities of what my present could be, I strolled into his quarters, trying to suppress my hyperactive energy and look as calm as possible. Not surprisingly, Dad's quarters were the biggest – and best, may I add – on the Jolly Rodger, with lavish Persian rugs and fine silk curtains, he was in the lap of luxury. However, he never paid much attention to the interior design and spent most of his time sat at his desk.

He was sitting (yet again) at his desk when I arrived. In front of him was a long rectangular black box and next to it, a shorter, wider black box. As I sat down, he pressed a small, square, red box into my hand.

"Open that one first." He ordered me, a soft look of affection in his clear silver eyes. I gripped the box and eased the lid from the base to find a shiny black compass. Strange thing was, it didn't point north, it pointed towards... Dad?

"It's the earring, dear," he chuckled, referring to the small stud at the top of his right ear, "the mixture of metals and weak magnets make the compass always point to me, just in case you ever got separated from your group. I won't have that blasted Pan finding you before your own father. Now open the next one." He shoved the longer parcel into my lap enthusiastically.

A sword. And not too bad of a one, either. It was lightweight but sturdy and had a small ruby gem in the round handle. I loved it. Standing up and rushing around the other side of the desk, I gave Dad a massive hug, despite my intolerance for mushy affection. He laughed (although he tried to cover it with a cough), ruffling my short auburn hair.

"You haven't seen your next one." He said darkly. "I saved the best till last."

After demolishing the box with excitement, I cradled my new pistol in my hands, my mouth gaping wide. Was he expecting me to kill anytime soon? Some sort of initiation?

"This is merely self-defence; I want you prepared for the worst at all times for today. Bill Dukes thinks he has a lead on Pan's hideout. For once, this has come from a reliable source from the island, so I want you to choose your platoon and, to prove yourself and to show off your decade of training by infiltrating the hideout then informing us of the location with a flare. Smee will supply you with the flare gun. Don't let me down, dear." He winked and set me off for some food with the crew before selecting my group.

Today, as a treat, I was given an extra portion of bread and a chunk of cheese, as well as the usual cabbage slop. For once, when I had finished, my belly was full to bursting point, and I loved it.

Choosing a crew wasn't too easy. I needed to take on board their skills, loyalty to the captain and I had to estimate how long each could put up with me and my orders. I ended up with a team of me, Jimmy, Bill, Scouz and Smee (because I couldn't do a mission without him). Bill is incredibly loyal to both the captain and me, and he's an excellent fighter who is both protective and tactful. Jimmy and I have always gotten along, he also taught me everything I know (with the exception of the occasional training from Dad). Scouz is rather quiet, but he puts up with all of his crewmates' crap and still gets the job done, so he's pretty valuable, too.

We all got our weapons ready and geared up (I wore all of my new equipment attached on a new leather strap that went around my hips and up diagonally across my front and around my shoulder – and I didn't leave my old reliable dagger behind, it was tucked into my belt). I had the most weapons out of the group, which made me feel a little pampered and embarrassed, but Captain's orders are final.

"LAND HO!" I cried from my gut, turning to Smee for approval. He replied my hopeful glance with a small lone applause. I secretly high-fived myself in my imagination before taking an ore.

Once the ship had pulled up near the beach, my team hopped into a boat with me, rowing our way to the island. Land.

The boat made a strange sound once it had touched the sandy floor. It was like a smooth dragging sound with lots of little knocks in the background. It was strange, but new and interesting to me. We then completely stopped, the boat unable to move any further. We weren't completely on land yet, so I proposed I push the rest of the crew and the boat to land. To which they all laughed at me and explained that the boat is wedged in and won't move any further forward. They told me that with a good push, we'll get it back out to sea, so we didn't have to worry. With this, my face glowed red with embarrassment and frustration with myself for not knowing.

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**Okayy sorry about this chapter, i has more fun coming along vair soon m'dears**

**till then ;)**


	2. PAN!

**So sorry about this one guys and gals, I know it does fail...**

**but i had to get this bit out of the way so I could focus on the main plot, this is just the bit build-up**

**i PWOMISE to bring better chapters in the near future!**

**If i don't then i shall walk the plank :)**

**Try to enjoy!**

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Chapter 2

The powdery, white sand felt like walking on a cloud through my worn-out boots. No flooring had ever felt this soft to me. My feet were in ecstasy just standing there. I was tempted to pull my boots off, just to feel the pure bliss of it. However, I could not let my mind waver, this was why I was chosen to lead this mission and I wasn't going to waste my chance playing in the sand.

Following Bill's directions through the jungle, we reached Dead Man's Cave by dusk, stopping for a short rest and to fill up our canteens by the small freshwater river that passes through. There, we discussed our further options, deciding on our further actions.

"Listen in!" I hissed over the small commotion that was erupting throughout the team. "We've found the alleged hideout, now all there is left is to make sure it's _Pan's _hideout. To do this, we need to play the waiting game. But quietly!"

With that, they all nodded in agreement. They remained hushed for just a short while, however; pirates being pirates, they just HAD to bring rum...

As night came and went, all the men lay drunk and/or hung-over. Oh well, at least they were quiet. I stood up, stretching my arms to wake myself up. I mustn't fall asleep. After sitting on that boulder for so long, my backside had gone numb. Come to think of it, this place was indeed quite beautiful, but it didn't compare to the magnificent Jolly Rodger. That being said, the whole place was awake and fresh, like a spring morning. Everything about it was beautiful, from the rich emerald jungle to the crystal blue water.

Water...

The sound of that splashing water running through the cove didn't help my bladder much. I stared daggers at the water, however, it only grew louder. I crossed my legs over, hoping it would hold. My brows frowned as a small drop of perspiration trickled down my face slowly...

OKAY! THAT'S IT! I had to find somewhere to "go". Keeping my legs glue together, I hobbled into a run towards the jungle. If I was quick, I could be back and sitting at the boulder again and the crew wouldn't have noticed a thing! Brilliant.

I couldn't remember how far into the jungle I had ran, all I was focused on was the big-leafed bushes that grew not too far from where I was going. They would be a suitable substitute for a lavatory. Right, not too far now, maybe if I ran normally, I'd make it? I had nothing else to lose, except maybe a bladder full of rum and water.

I had managed to reach the "lavatory" in time. The relief rushed over me as I pulled my grey torn trousers up, noticing another hole in them. I didn't care much for the women's fashions. White shirts, torn waistcoats, tattered trousers, worn out boots. They all suited me just fine. Skirts and petticoats made me feel ill just imagining them.

Once I had completed my mini-mission of having a wee... wee, I trudged back through the forest and plonked my rear end back on that rock. From what I could see, all the men were right where I left them. Jimmy, Bill, Smee-

Before I could notice the absence of Scouz, a hand wrapped itself sloppily around my waist and hauled me to the floor of the cave, my back taking in the full impact on the stone floor. Scouz's hot, heavy breath huffed into my ear, his gruesome tongue sliming its way around my earlobe. I shuddered and squirmed against his drunken attempts, swinging my legs in any direction possible. He had a hold of my arms, so any attempt at grabbing my weapons soon became impossible.

"Scouz, you slimy rat!" I attempted to bellow, but only coming out as an angry whimper. "Get your lecherous hands off of your co-captain! I am in charge of this mission, and it's crew, and that includes yourself, you bloody mangy maggot!"

"What the cap'n don't know," he slurred into my neck, stopping to deeply inhale my scent, "won't do 'im no 'arm."

With this, I knew I had to alert someone, I had to make a noise. With a shaky breath, I drew in a long breath, squeezed my eyes shut and...

Screamed.

A loud, ear-splitting, milk-curdling, toe-curling scream echoed through the whole of Neverland. I could hear my own voice replay multiple times even after I had ran out of breath. Panting, I felt the earth below me shudder slightly. A small crack appeared in the wall of the cave and several small crumbs of rock tumbled to the floor. Suddenly, through the top entrance of the cave, a boy had flown in, calling out what sounded similar to a morning rooster...

Pan. Pan was here. After all these years of hearing father's stories, the villain, the trickster behind them all was here before me. My maroon-coloured eyes flared up at the very sight of him, the monster. He looked down at me, tilting his head, puzzled with my glare. His eyes were that annoying shade of sickly green and his perfectly messy strawberry blonde hair lay flawlessly annoying. And what be the lad wearing? A mess of leaves and vine, wound together to make a kind of t-shirt and a pair of tight-fitting knee shorts? How does the boy manage to make such things without a woman? This Wanda, did she make it before meeting her tragic end?

Pan scooped up Scouz's arms and dragged the man out to sea before letting him fall into the salty depths. Upon reaching the surface did the lecher appear more sober than before, screaming several curse words at Pan (who was just laughing hysterically).

Eyeing up the other sleeping pirates, Pan scooped ME up this time and flew out the top of the cave where he had entered. This can't be happening. Am I being kidnapped by the enemy?

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**Don't hate it :( I will improve**

**and again, i apologise for the shortness xxxxxxxxxx**


	3. I'M NOT LOST!

_**Hello chaps! and welcome to another installment of my kind-of-personal-masterpiece, Miss Hook :D**_

_**Thank you for the reviews! **_

_**Sorry about this chapter's length as well, i've have revision and exams lately (wish me luck for the big one in January! Once that's over, i'll be updating a lot more often :D)**_

_**Tehe, I wonder what Hook would think if he read this...**_

_**Hook: So do I, child, so do I..**_

_**Me: O.o .. so here's chapter three! AND I'M NOT A CHILD! hmph...**_

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**Chapter Three**

Pan had risen higher and higher, not even caring about the huge gale winds that blasted our hair about like wild-fire. I squirmed harder, trying to catch his attention. I wriggled about like an injured worm, just wanting to get out of the enemy's hands, especially if he was planning on pulling the same trick he pulled on Wanda...

"Hey, kid!" Pan yelled above the howling winds. "Stop it, you'll fa-"

My constant squirming soon granted my wishes; I had freed myself from Pan's grasp and was free-falling into what appeared to be a huge lake. Father had taught me how to land with a dive (to prevent injuries) properly in water in case I ever went overboard, so the fall didn't scare me too much. I admit, the wind did hurt as it slashed through my entire body at a constant rate.

My hand, now free, slipped down to my belt and pulled out my pistol, keeping a firm grip on it as to keep it from blowing away. I lurched myself sideways so I fell on my back. Okay, only a few seconds left till I hit the water. I aimed the gun at Pan in mid-air, taking note of his slow realisation of my absence. I used this in my favour and acted quick. My finger gripped the trigger, ready to fire. I squeezed my eyes shut and locked my position on my arms. Pirate or not, I still couldn't look my victims in the eyes. My finger gained pressure on the trigger bit by bit and...

He caught me.

Pan had somehow, in the space of 2 seconds, managed to zip down faster than my falling speed and wrap his right arm around my waist and pick me up on his shoulder. He landed gently on some land next to the lake.

Gasping for air (after being winded by... well... wind), I spluttered to my knees whilst coughing heavily. Pan, intrigued with the shiny new toy I had pulled from my belt, had picked up my pistol and was observing it from all different angles.

"What's this thing?" He asked. His voice was very... musical? Pure? Childish? That's the one. Childish.

"It be a gun, Pan. It's like a hand-held cannon." I threatened him, in my best pirate-voice I could. With the sound of his name, his ears twitched slightly and he looked up from the new toy.

"How do you know my name, kid?" he asked, curious with my knowledge of him.

"That doesn't matter in situations such as this, boy." I spat. My new sword ached under it's sheath to be drawn, as if calling my name in writhing pain. As a mother would to her newborn, I pulled the sword out to me gently and cradled it in my hand. However, this sword was pointing at Pan, not the ideal father of a child (seeing as he is himself only a child- despite looking about 15)

Pan soon caught on and wielded his own sword in front of him. However, a smirk hung on his face arrogantly. He thinks this is a game? How immature...

"I be not playing with ye, boy." I warn. I liked how my time with pirates had eventually rubbed the accent onto me.

"Boy?" He exclaimed. "Well, excuse me but, you aren't much of a man yourself..."

Wait... MAN?

"Excuse ME," I exclaimed, "but I'm a-"

"You're just a Lost Boy, you obviously must have fallen from your pram or something." He eyed me up curiously. "But you seem a bit big for a pram..."

"I'M NOT LOST!" I yelled, frustrated that he wasn't getting the picture. Pan's left eyebrow raised in a mock suspicion.

"Oh yeah?" He questioned. "In that case, if you're so smart, go join your pirate buddies. This time I won't be there to save your sorry neck."

I turned red, flustered and irritated. I lunged at him, soon blocked by his quick reflexes. It took me a few seconds to recover from the unexpected movement. How could he be so fast? Once restored as fast as I was knocked out of balance, I advanced forward in a false riposte and instead landed a parry when Pan lunged after seeing the "opening" illusion I created. Before he could even recover, I dropped the blade and instead pulled out my pistol, cocking it with just one hand.

Once stumbled to the upright position, Pan came to see the strange toy again, this time thrust in his face. He knew what cannons did so he should be aware of the gun's capabilities.

"You cheated." He mumbled. _Umm, I'm a pirate?_

"This be not a game, foolish child." I warned him, my finger lightly holding the trigger.

"Well, that's just no fun!" He huffed. "I thought it was meant to be GIRLS who spoilt the fun!"

"But, I am a-"

"It's too late, the game's gone now..." He sighed. "Oh well, may as well take you back to the hide-out."

"Wait-" I started. Peter stopped in his tracks to turn to the source of this interruption. Hold on. What was I thinking? If Pan takes me to his hide-out, then he has just completed my mission for me. All that would be left is to send out a few smoke signals or maybe a flare or two and I'd be sorted. Yes, this plan is fool-proof!

"What's your name?" Pan asked as we both flew through the skies, me clinging to his back as he soared. I took note of the directions in my head, for future references. However, his questioning for a name took me by surprise.

"I... err..." I stuttered nervously. "My name is... Ru.. BEN! It's Ruben? Yes that's right, Ruben Hoo-...Hood! Ruben Hood."

"Ruben, huh?" Pan questioned. Almost intimidated, I nodded quickly. This boy may be stupid, however, he is very skilled in fighting. He has had many years of immortality to practice so he will have the upper hand in this fight. Also, I needed this boy's trust if he were to take me to the hideout.

A rather bumpy landing (resulting in Pan skilfully landing on his feet and me landing heavily on my backside) left us both at the entrance of Dead Man's Tree. Hold on, this tree was in eye's distance from my "lavatory" from earlier (I only knew this because I could see the temporary toilet from the corner of my eye). So, Pan had really just taken a tour around the island, just to show the newcomer around. How sweet... Now I feel sick...

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**Yayy! Ruby finally reached the clubhouse! Now what's in store for her?**

**Find out soon in the next chapter of... DIGIMON .. DIGITAL MONSTERS! jk jk i've always wanted to say that, since being a little kid xD just keep reading ,, and i might just read & review yours too :D 333**

**Love and Hugs**

**Harley ;)**


	4. I Do Hate Boys

**EXAMS ARE OVERRR! well, until June, but that's ages away xD**

**OKay guys, sorry again about the delay, BUT, it was only a writers block, now i has more ideas, they will come into the play more often**

**Have any ideas of your own? send them to meh in a review, I'll give a shout-out to whoever's I may put in :D**

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**Chapter Four**

"LOST BOYS!" Pan bellowed throughout the forest. "ROLL CALL!"

Before I could take in what he had just tried to say, a small rumble ruptured from underground and, one by one, these filthy looking fleabags for children spilled out from a door (which was well-concealed actually, Kudos to Peter and his idiots). They all stood in a line, going from tallest to smallest.

"Slightly!" A quite tall, golden haired twelve-year-old declared.

"Nibs!" Followed a smaller, dark haired boy.

"The Twins!" Chorused two identical little red heads. The Twins? Don't they have their own names? Foolish children...

"Curly!" The name suited the child who called out. A mess of sandy curls fell down his face, almost blocking his eyesight.

"And Tootles!" A chubby boy with black hair finished off.

Was this meant to impress the newcomer? I think not... Surely...

"Boys!" Pan began. "Meet our newest recruit! Robin Hood! Remember the stories we heard from Wendy about this guy? He's one to have."

Robin Hood? Who the heck was that? The only stories around are the adventures of Black Beard and Captain Jack Sparrow. Either way, he still said my fake-name wrong, which sent a spark of irritation burning the back of my skull.

"Ruben."

Pan paused for a second and cocked his head slightly at the sudden interruption. "You say something, kid?"

The spark soon turned into a small flame of annoyance. "My name is Ruben. Not Robin, not Kid, RUBEN. Get that into your tiny mind, foolish child!" I spat the words with as much venom as I could muster up.

Despite trying to be a convincing boy, I still stormed out of the clubhouse. I didn't care. Not about Pan, his silly followers, the mission, NONE of it. I can't put up with their childish nonsense! It's doing my head in! How can they manage to outsmart James Hook, yet can't even get a name right or resist to talk about child stories from his precious Wanda... No, wait, that be not her name. Pan said it was Wendy...

I continued on through the forest, which soon melted into a jungle. The trees and bushes got harder and harder to avoid and the air soon got a chilly bite to it. It was early afternoon by the looks of the sun. This meant I had plenty time to waste today, then I might give the lads a second chance once I've calmed down some. They should be happy I'm forgiving them for this time round. Nobody ridicules with the heir of James Hook like that.

But... maybe I was just acting spoilt? I'd never been shown such rudeness in all my days. Maybe I wasn't used to it?

Pfft, nonsense... my very presence demands the upmost respect! I am 1st Commander-in-Line, Ruby Una Natalia Hook! I even have rank! I DESERVE to be respected, I've earned it with 10 years of constant labour at sea... Stupid children need to start doing their homework on their greatest enemy yet. As a matter of fact-

The sound of a twig snapping to my right stopped me in my thoughts. This was soon followed by an irritated hissing noise. Was this the boys? Were they playing a trick on me?

"Haha!" I exaggerated. "Very funny of you, boys. Now, come on-"

Before I could finish my sentence, a hand had snaked its way across my belly and yanked me backwards. Several foreign words were whispered into my ear before a sharp jab pierced the skin in my neck. Were these people trying to assassinate me? Did they know who I was?

My legs soon became too numb to hold my weight anymore. I would have crashed to the ground, if my captor hadn't caught me. He led me gently to the ground as the dart fell from my neck with a sickening squelch.

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**Find out what happens next...**

**RIGHT NOW :D**

I didn't want to wake up, I wanted to stay in my little dreamland where I could play with Mummy again, where I could be girly again.

I wanted to stay encased in this warm, itchy blanket.

Wait... Blanket?

I bolted upright in the roomy hammock I was lying in. The air held a thick scent of smoke and tobacco. Strange scent...

Could only mean...

Indians.

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**Again, yes I know, SHORT, but i will post more often, in fact, TWO whole paragraphs have been written already :D how about THEM apples, eh? ;D**


	5. Sorry, I Didn't Catch Your Name?

**YUSS! I managed to update a lot sooner than usual ;D**

**okeaay, guys, i present to you: chapter fiiiive! **

**I NEED to tone the action down in this story, it's actually starting to get out of hand -.-**

**oh well, i'll sort it in the later chapters :)**

**BTW, if you dont understand the name of the chapter, it's to do with the native boy, who i am still yet to name :D i have a few ideas, can YOU guys think of one? post it in a review, mkay? ^_^**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own this story or it's characters, however, i DO own Scouz, Ruby, Sekani AND the unknown-hot-native-boy-who-i-couldnt-name-because-i'm-a-bad-owner D': **

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Chapter Five

My eyes shot to the floor, where a girl lay snoring softly. It was a girl. A _girl! _I haven't seen one since Mummy. But this one was a strange one. She had darker skin, thick black hair that flowed down her back and strange beige clothing. Definitely not Mummy, not anything close.

"Is Pale One awake?" A voice, a man's voice, came from just outside the tent. That voice... the last one I heard before I passed out (well, before the drugs from their darts took full effect), those two voices, are the same person. Interesting... So this man is my captor. Well, the Indians obviously weren't out to kill me. I'd be dead if they were.

His silhouette against the tent wall was big, and I mean, BIG, almost as tall as Father, but his shoulders were definitely broader, and lined with tight muscles. Such a strong man... Should I have been scared?

The voice came inside. Stood before my eyes was the body of a man, yet the face of a boy, with a sprinkle of blemishes (which can only be expected in a normal human teenager, I went through a fair few a year ago) across his tanned face He had eyes as blue as the morning shore and thick ebony hair just below his jaw line. A very pretty boy, despite the blemishes.

Yet, I found my nickname quite funny. The Pale One? They could have come up with one a little better...

The lass asleep on the floor next to me slowly blinked her eyes open a few times before hauling herself up, moaning.

After gibbering some foreign words (most of which seemed quite rude...), the girl turned to face me, plastering a smile on her exhausted face.

"He-llo." She said, clearly still learning English. "My nam-ie isss Se-ka-ni." She emphasized each syllable of her name, as if used to it being misinterpreted. I heard that only those higher up in the classes in the tribes got the privilege of two names, such as Tiger Lily. If I had time to kill, the Indians would have definitely fascinated me.

"Alright, Hello, Sekani, I must be getting back now-"

"Robin?" A horrible voice called out. "Robin Hoooooooood!"

Pan...

The boy who stood at the opening of the tent smiled warmly at the sound. "The Pale One's kind is here for her." He said quietly, barely above a whisper. He's very fluent in English, compared to Sekani "Does she wish to speak with them?"

Wait... SHE? He knows I'm a she?

I could feel the blood abandoning my face, apart from the small amounts trying to burst out through my cheeks, which heated up furiously.

"What are you talking about?" I laughed nervously, climbing down from the hammock.

"Well, I am talking about the girl in front of me." He cocked his head, giving me a crooked grin and a look as if to say "are you sure you're fully awake?"

My mouth had stopped working. No sound was coming out. I didn't know what to say to that, having my gender revealed by a simple Indian... it would ruin me.

Before I could form any sort of sound from my mouth, a cannon fired not too far off. We must be near the coast; that was my Jolly Rodger's cannons, no doubt about it.

My Father's come for me. Should I be happy?

I certainly didn't feel it.

Outside of the tent, natives rushed around aimlessly everywhere I looked. Foreign words spluttering around the village, almost fast enough to make one dizzy. They were all panicking, frightened, cornered; all because of me.

A hand gripped my forearm firmly, almost hurting with the intensity. The hand belonged to Pan, tugging me along whilst coaxing me desperately to fix out of my trance. I didn't catch half of the words he was screaming in my face, I'm sure "insane" was one of them, though.

He wouldn't bother trying to help me if he knew WHY the crew was here...

Beside me, a family rushed by, cradling their screaming children close to them. I caused those children such terror. How conceited. I'm not evil, am I?

Father's not evil. Neither is Smee. Not even Scouz (despite his little "moment" back there in the cave, he was just drunk). Surely there is a misunderstanding? The natives may have mistaken the ship as belonging to another group of pirates. Yes, that has to be it. They wouldn't be scared of our ship, it's never done anything wrong on purpose-

"Hook! Hook's back! He's back!" Tootles Screeched, running round in circles aimlessly.

Well, that answered that question.

"Ruben, LISTEN to me!" Pan snapped in my face. I would have been irritated if I wasn't so confused already. "As the second oldest, it's up to YOU to get the natives OUT of here. You're a newbie, so we doubt you can fight just yet. Take everyone to the hideout, it's safe there. Now GO!" He shoved me into what felt like a brick wall.

A very muscular wall.

"The Pale One is taking us somewhere safe?" The boy from earlier asked, a glint of hope glittered his eyes. I couldn't turn down that face just to see my Father. I'm sure he can wait.

"Yes," I told him breathlessly, "but we need to get everyone to the hideout. Get them to follow me."

"But," he started. Oh, how I hated the buts, "How do we get their attention?"

Okay, we needed something loud, something with enough power to-

_Power._

That's it! My hand grabbed for my waist and swiped out my new pistol. My first round was loaded and aimed for the sky. With one shaky breath, I pulled the trigger down hard.

_BANG!_

Every single one of the natives stopped, astounded with the mini-cannon I held in my hand. However, now was not time to waste gawking at everyone, I had their attention, I needed to take advantage of this moment.

"Everyone, if you want a safe hideout, follow me!" I screamed. Short and sweet, yet straight to the point. And, obviously, VERY effective. A small crowd (maybe about 50 people) darted straight in my direction. I had to keep myself paced ahead of them, so I was left almost sprinting away from them into the forest.

I couldn't remember which way the hideout was, but I could faintly remember my lavatory, so I headed towards that and hoped for the best.

This is all just too unreal. Far too much to digest in this short space of time. Only three days ago, I was just sitting on the Jolly Rodger, killing time in any way I could. Now, leading a group of Indians away from my crew towards my original target for the whole mission? This definitely wasn't on my agenda...

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**AGAIN, i SHALL fix this MESS of a plot, dont you worry my little chickies ;3**


	6. Wow, Nice Teeth

**Anotherr chapter done in decent time ^_^ and personally, writing-wise, its not so bad either in my opinion :D**

**and a shoutout to Royalraven for coming up with a gooood name for meh mystery dude, thankyou :3 3**

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Chapter Six

I reached the tree in good time, despite feeling unable to breathe. I used the ten seconds before everyone arrived to inhale deeply and as slow as I could. What felt like two seconds later, the whole tree was surrounded by all the faces I saw at the village. However, this didn't include the Chief. It's only tradition, for a leader to put their life on the line for their people, so I tried to shake this off.

"Okay," I panted, "Everyone. In. The Tree." I stumbled over towards the door and held it open. The villagers flooded in, not really caring about those around them (namely, me). Once they were all in, I fell to my knees, my fingers digging deep into the earth. Why couldn't my breath regulate? I tried breathing normally, but it felt like my lungs had stiffened. I clutched my chest with my dirty hands, hoping to squeeze my lungs back to life. My chest, however, grew tighter. If I couldn't breathe sooner or later, I'll die.

"Pale One is hurt?" My unnamed Indian asked. Did he stop behind for me? "I will take Pale One inside, we have medicine. It is safe inside, also."

With that, he lifted me up in his arms. I'm heavier than I look, however, he lifted me with such ease. It would have taken my breath away, that is, if I had any to take.

"Can't!" I gasped, just above a whisper. I clutched his shoulder. Hard. "Can't-breathe!"

I keeled over onto the ground, heaving heavily for air that just wasn't coming to me. My insides were tightening on me, like they were being sucked out. My vision was blurring, clouding over; I could feel it. I could _see_ it.

"Lung demon..." My Indian muttered under his breath. My head lolled on it's side to face him. "Not again..."

_Again?_

He reached into a small pouch at the back of his belt, took out some strange-looking off-white powder and mixed a small amount into his palm. He took another few steps towards me, kneeling down by my side and letting my head rest on his lap. Was I dying?

Another heavy blast of air erupted from my chest. I needed air, NOW. My Indian raised his powdery palm up towards my mouth. Drugging me? Suffocating me? Is this what he meant by "not again?" Did he have to do this to someone else with this "lung demon" before? I hope I'm wrong.

His hand closed in on my mouth. The dry, chalky powder was inhaled down my throat and into my torn chest. It felt like a cool breeze, soothing my insides. Astonishingly, it seemed to open my airways again. I took in one long, rushed, jagged breath with a huge gasp. Another few shaky breaths and I was back to simple panting. How did he know what medicine I needed?

"The Pale One has been cursed with a Lung Demon." My Indian answered my question, probably after reading it all over my face. "Not very common. Only few people have it in the village. From now on, be careful with exercise. Lung Demons latch onto your lungs when they get even a tiny bit overworked. Once on, they need medicine to rid yourself of them."

Lung Demons, eh? Well, that's a first, I'll admit. Great, now I owe this boy my life. And I really do hate IOU's...

"You have a name, boy?" I blurted out without thinking. I think I'll need medicine for the foot-in-mouth disease of mine, too. He simply breathed a small chuckle and helped me to sit back up. Oh, I forgot about lying on his lap. It wasn't that uncomfortable, either.

"Ke'lok." He grinned. Did he just say Clock? No, it was definitely Ke'lok. That cheeky smile of his told me he was a definite Ke'lok. For an Indian, his teeth were almost white. "You have a name, girl?"

THAT caught me off guard, to say the least. I completely forgot about his little realisation of my gender back in the tent. Rats...

"Okay," I began, "I'm Ruben, as in, the boys' name. As in, I'm also a boy?"

Ke'lok chuckled softly, giving me an encore of his pearly whites. Wow... his eyes are strange, too. A forget-me-not sea of blue replaced what is normally a dark brown/black (my father taught me this in Landmanship lectures). "Okay, BOY, we play your rules. Let us go inside. Safer."

He put his arm around my shoulders tightly, NOT as a romantic gesture, more so to keep me steady. However, it felt nice to be this close to someone, especially when they're 100% safe and sober. His warmth too, that was a dream in itself. It was like heat was radiating off his body, just waiting for me to snuggle up to keep warm.

I gave my head a good shake. WHAT was I thinking? Snuggling up close with an Indian? SAVING Indians from my own people? Running away from my own crew? My little duel with death just there can only prove that Karma exists. I need to keep my loyalty to my crew and my crew alone. I'm on a mission, I can't forget that.

Once inside, the heat was immense. The compressed bodies of Indians coursed heat through the whole hideout. No need to light a fire I see...

Sekani ran up to me, greeting me with a fierce hug.

"Pale One saved us!" She declared. "Is you okay?"

"I am fine." I replied, putting emphasis on each syllable for her sake. She understood easily enough, giving me a twinkly laugh and bouncing off to spread the news. I simply collapsed against the wall in exhaustion. Too much for one day.

Once again, me and my Indian were left alone. Without his arm around my shoulders, the tops of my arms were forming goosebumps. I tried rubbing them, hard; however, that soon failed.

Whilst I was doing that, Ke'lok must have been watching me, because he edged his way ever so slightly to the right of him. I was standing to the right of him. I was too tired to care. I just slumped against his shoulder and, clinging to his glowing warmth, drifted into a much-appreciated sleep.

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**Sooo, for those who didn't understand, Ruby has what we know of as asthma ;O bet you never saw that one coming eyy? ;P**

**Tanks for reading, your reviews keep me smiling ^^**

**-Harley- xox**


	7. Stubborn or WHAT!

**I tink, this is my longest chapter yet! and not in too bad time either :D**

**Sooo... here you go :)**

**and guys, even if it's annonymous, please review! it lets me know that you guys are still reading it ^_^ I've read every single review so far and i love all of you guys for doing it :3 **

**this chapter is for those lovely people who make my story worth writing :) i loves you, reviewers! 3**

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Chapter 7

Sleeping against a human furnace was incredibly soothing. As soon as the drowsy warmth vanished from my side, my eyes jerked open. Goosebumps had cloaked my skin yet again without Ke'lok keeping me warm.

Good heavens, he sure knows how to distract a girls mind! I'm on a mission! I need to scope out the situation. I was getting far too cosy and soft than I'd preferred.

With the bitter chill getting a frosty bite to it, I could tell by that much that it was night time. That meant I had lost up to 6 hours of valuable missionary work. Enter that familiar flame of frustration.

Sitting up, I realised that the whole room was empty of people. The lounge was much bigger than I remembered , too. That's probably because the last time I looked, there were bodies packed high and low, all vibrating against one another in a panicked haze.

Just outside the "window" (which was really just a gap in the wall decorated with a frame) I was leaning against, I heard a rustle in the leaves. Hushed giggles erupted as the rustling grew faster and quieter. These spies... whoever they were, they were getting away!

I slipped silently off the window ledge and crouched down. Once I was absolutely sure nobody had reacted to my movement, I jogged swiftly – keeping my upper body crouched down - across the room. My father used to call this the "monkey run". It must have had some similarities with the way a monkey ran. I wouldn't know; I've grown up around ill-smelling drunks and equally horrid fish. I've never seen a monkey, yet do I want to?

These traitorous thoughts need to stop. But... what if my life could actually be improved by this island? The interaction with people my own age, the tiny scraps of comfort I clung to on the ship now radiate off every single living body in this place. Even the insects – the vermin – are content.

I've had to work my backside off on the ship just to get where I am now. However, here, everything feels so natural, no labour is forced. Could this sort of relationship even be possible between the crew of the most infamous ship in the seven seas? _No_, I answered myself immediately. The thought of it sunk my heart a few centimetres. I had a decision to make, one that would tug at me for the rest of my life if I made the wrong one.

With a troubling sigh, I focused myself back to the current situation at hand: I was following these peeping toms. The door was in arm's reach now. Instead of pushing it open with my hand, I crossed over to the opposite side to the hinges and gave it a light kick.

The door gently swung open with an echoing creak. I winced slightly at the amount of noise it really _shouldn't _have made. What a stubborn door indeed...

Peeking out from behind the faulty door frame, all that was in front of me were a few laughing kids and, behind them, a large dominating male. He wore a crown of feathers hanging across his head and down either side of his body, just missing the floor. Chief, I'm guessing.

With a simple clearing of his throat, the children stop their giggling and turn to kneel in front of him silently. Good amount of authority, that's admirable. As the children retreated from the small huddle they were encased in, I notice what they were so fascinated in. My eyes and hands quickly flew to my belt. Is my new pistol safe from ANYONE these days?

"Give it." I mutter impatiently, scooping up the playfully lethal thing in my hand and tucking it snugly into my belt.

I approached the chief carefully and slowly, making sure to kneel in front of him when at least two paces away from him. His figure just seemed to double in size as he looked down on me. Compared to him, I'm an ant, worthless vermin that just irritate people. Those deep brown eyes of his could almost penetrate into my secret thoughts, but I had stashed them in a steel safe in the back of my mind.

"I, the chief of the Arikara Tribe, want to thank you, Ruben Hood, for saving many of my people. We shall hold a feast in your honour tonight at the village." He then nods towards the twins, who had mixed in with the Arikara kids. "Bring however many you want."

_I doubt he'd let MY kind of guests in..._

With a slight, hardly noticeable hesitation, I accept the offer. My stomach was feeling pretty hollow right about now. I haven't eaten in almost two days. I was _famished_. He said it was tonight, does that mean right now? I was soon relieved of having to answer that question on my own...

A flying being ploughed into my stomach, knocking the air back out of my body._ I can't breathe! _Oh, not again!

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"I'm real sorry about that back there." Pan drawled in his strange accent. "I didn't know you had a demon stuck to ya. I could'a killed the newbie. You forgive me?"

I was too busy eyeing up the roasted leg of a hog. It took all I had not to drool at the tender, hot meat. Solid, hot food was a luxury I've so rarely come across.

"Yes, it's fine." I quickly dismissed him. "I had medicine anyways from Ke'lok."

"Who?"

"Ke'lok." I repeated. "Just a local boy from the Arikara's."

"Oh, well that's boring, you need to get yourself a girlfriend." Pan exaggerated. "They don't have that much of the cooties as I can remember." I didn't even want to bother asking what "cooties" even were.

Once I was sitting down around the fire with everyone else in the tribe, I just stared, mesmerised by the flames licking up at the air. I only tore my eyes away when I would eat another mouthful. The food is rich and delicious. The sensations on my tongue are the stuff dreams are made of. After I had finished, I just lay there against the log, tempted to rub my belly with pure satisfaction. However, I stopped this before the music could start.

A mix of animal-skinned drums and panpipes bellowed through the whole tribe. Recognising the dance, the locals got up and circled around the huge fire, pulling strange contorted moves in time to the beat.

"See her?" Pan nudged me. He was pointing at a girl, about my age, dancing around the flames wickedly. As if she were the ember itself. She had long, thick glossy black hair to her waist and big, brown eyes. She was beautiful, but that was why I didn't like her. "She's not stopped looking at you since you got here."

_What?_

"P-Pan," I baffled, "Th-that can't b-be. I mean, she's pretty and everything but, well..."

"You no like me?" A high-pitched, innocent voice called me out of my stuttering. The girl was right in front of us, smirking. Oh good lord, do these people know what self-preservation means? She's almost naked in that skimpy thin-lined fur dress!

Noticing my irritated blush at her almost-nakedness, the girl took it as a sign that I was being perverse or something. Her smirk deepened as she lowered herself to my level, never breaking eye contact with those solid umber eyes. I froze, unsure of what was going to happen next.

With that wicked grin of hers, she pulled her head closer and closer to mine. She smirked against my lips as they touched. She was KISSING me!

_WHAT?_

_

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_

**Uh oh! ;[ someone just lost their first kiss to a girl... hehehe ;D**

**this unnamed Arikara seems to annoy me, she's everything i don't like in a girl, you guys think she should become more involved later on? let me know :)**

**oh and don't worry, i haven't forgotten about Ke'lok ;]**


	8. Little Roo

**WELL, it's been some time!**

**since i've been gone, i've actually organised a much better plan for this story, rather than just going as i please. i hope you guys appreciate the effort :D**

**and i do appreciate the wait some of you have.. waited :)**

**by the way, i dont have a CLUE how to change my settings, so if you want to review, then you'll need an account, sorry! but if you want, i can give you my email address in the next chapter for those who want to give feedback? **

**soo... CHAPTER EIGHT HAS ARRIVED! :D**

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**Chapter 8**

_OhGodOhGodOhGodOhGOD!_

Pan wouldn't shut up about the girl. Even after she had (eventually) pulled out of her kiss and headed back to her dance, laughing all the way. He still wouldn't stop.

"Little newbie's settling in juuuuuust fine." He elbowed me in the stomach and winked. He was definitely getting on my nerves now.

"Don't tell me, that was your _first kiss_!" He gaped after being constantly replied by my ignorance. I shuffled away from his gaze to hide my crimson cheeks. "Awwww, you're so cute! Hey, guys! Little Roo here's just took his first steps into boyhood!" He bawled out.

He was answered by a mixture of responses from the boys; the older ones whooped and patted me on the back while the younger ones made gagging noises. Through the whole ordeal, I just shrank back and blushed furiously. My first kiss shouldn't even bother me, but with a girl? And to be publicly broadcast to everyone? I just wanted to be swallowed up by the ground right about now.

I got up to leave. I don't know where I would be leaving _to_, I just wanted to get away for a few minutes. I'm failing horribly on my mission as it is; now I was lowering my social status between the boys. To them, I was just a pet, to coo at and to give affection to for their amusement. Maybe I was more like a toy in that manner. Everything in this world is a toy to those babies. Life is just a huge game to them.

"Hey, where you goin'?" Pan called out as I stormed away from them across the fire. I seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. Storming off. Oh well, I didn't care, he was ticking me off royally, so who am I to question my impulses? I continued walking though the whole party. It was all in my honour, so it was probably rude to abandon it but, again, who am I to care? I just kept walking into the forest, not turning back.

In the forest. On my own. Yet again. This seems to be becoming a habit of mine, walking off into the forest at night by myself. Still, I had my gun, my sword and dagger, so I wont hesitate to eliminate anyone who comes close to me. Since the Lost Boys and the Arikara Indians are all at the feast, anyone who I stumble across now will not be an acquaintance. Actually, for good measure, I took out my gun and cocked it, ready to fire with just the twitch of my finger.

The forest was actually quite a beautiful place, now I managed to get a good look at it without running for my life. The damp, earthy smell was somewhat refreshing and the cool green leafy terrain was too tempting to explore across that I simply couldn't resist. What felt like a lifetime of wandering had brought me into this hazy kind of dream-state.

A twig snapped, sharply waking me up. Quite loudly, too. Almost too loud; as if deliberate. Someone wants my attention? Well they certainly have it.

I wandered a few more steps, keeping my attention as vague as possible, looking at anything that made a noise loud enough to be noticed by the evening stroller. My grip tightened on my gun, assuring it was still there. The darkness was really beginning to creep up on me; I had to squint to see anything more than ten feet away from me.

A familiar warm sensation whooshed up my stomach as two strong arms encased around me. Ke'lok's breath was hot on my ear as he breathed.

"Do not wander off into woods alone, stubborn girl."He whispered harshly, but still kept his tone soft. "It is not safe."

_He was worried about me?_

It took a moment for me to realise that, as protection, my gun was cocked and in my hand. The barrel pressed into Ke'lok's belly. A mixture of guilt and shame hitting me hard enough to come to my senses, I threw the wretched thing to the floor. I could have killed this boy, when he had saved my life. As much as I hated to admit it, I owed him.

Ke'lok, who had stepped out of the hug when I threw away my gun, took a step closer to me, watching my face carefully (which he had to bend down a bit for).

"Why do you pretend to be boy?" He asked carefully, but with a heavy dosage of emotion. Concern... Confusion... Compassion...

"I..." I stuttered. How was I going to put it? I couldn't tell him I was a boy, because sleeping against someone, having someone perform first aid on you and blushing brighter than my father's crimson robe usually help decipher someone's gender. If I were to sell myself off as a boy to Ke'lok, I'd be a very strange boy indeed. "I... well, it's a long story."

"We have long time. Nobody is here to order us around." He insisted. There was no way on earth that I would ever tell him about my father. I've gotten too attached already, I don't need any more bonds to break when I return to the Jolly Rodger.

"I..." I begun, "I... well, I have people... after me." It sounded almost like a question when I said it, but I managed to keep it very vague.

"Who?"

"I... Don't know? That's one huge part of the problem." Well, it was the semi-truth. I didn't know right from wrong these days. Was father aware of my whereabouts? Did he notice my temporary "holiday"? Do you think he's angry? So many questions swirling around my head these days...

"Hm," Ke'lok paused, sighing, "an unknown enemy... sounds like fun."

"Pfff, yeah, right" I said sarcastically, sinking to the floor to lean against the roots of a huge, complicated tree, "fun wouldn't be the word I'd use. I don't even know what I'm doing here. I need to go finish what I've started. To complete my mission. But it's so hard!" I whined, slumping against Ke'lok's shoulder as he slid down to sit next to me. It felt nice, having this big, warm person there just for you. It made it feel like he was strong enough to lift your problems away, if only for a moment. I savoured this moment, before letting the frown lines return to my forehead.

Ke'lok easily sensed my stress over the matter. He put his arm around my shoulders, giving me a friendly shake. The very feel of his skin made me jump back into bliss momentarily.

"If you, a mere child (I winced at that), can save an entire village from panic and death, then surely you can ease your own troubles?" He whispered gently in that trusting manner of his. "Make a decision, and stick to it. Do not live with regrets."

He was right. Despite being very vague and basic advice, he was right. I met his gaze, offering my most grateful smile, which only widened his grin.

"Now that is more like it." He motioned at my facial expression. I coloured slightly and dropped my gaze ever so slightly to the bottom of his neck, where it met that loose shirt which clearly let any looker's eyes explore his broad, muscular chest. Wow... this boy was gorgeous...

"Ruby, dear," chimed a familiar voice, "apologies for my intrusion, but, what are the means of this, may I ask?"

_Father._

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**ohohoho! someones in for it ;D**


	9. Ultimatum

**Well hello again :) **

**Thank you sooooo much for those reviewing! And I changed my settings, so now those with no account now have no excuse! mwahaha!**

**I have taken on board all criticism, and tried my very best to try and cater for it. However, I am only one human! I can guarantee I will make plenty of mistakes time and time again :D just point them out for me when I do, I'm here to learn and upload more than anything, but I admit, you readers are pretty awesome people, much love to you guys! 3**

**anywho - welcome to chapter nine, you may proceed in your readings :3**

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"Father?" I asked, scrambling to my feet.

"Father?" Ke'lok echoed.

"Ruby! Darling," Captain Hook slurred, his face tilted with a strange smirk, "Smee said of your disappearance, now why did you run off to..." He gestured at Ke'lok with an expression lined with repulse.

"I was attacked!" I snapped defensively. "By one of OUR crew! And nobody moved, even once I'd screamed! I thought I-"

I was blocked off by a sharp embrace from my father. He held me tightly, so tight my shoulders hurt. But I didn't complain. I never got any signs of affection from him, especially when in front of people. Was he showing actual care for me as a daughter instead of just an heir? I clung to my father, allowing myself to be crushed by his care.

"Little Roo!" Ke'lok had been shouting at me. "What are you doing? He is dangerous! He ordered the attack on our people!"

My eye twitched open at that. I dropped my arms to my sides, letting them hang numbly. Was it true? Did he really call that random attack on all those innocent people? I don't think they lost anyone. But, what if they had? A family minus one mouth to feed. A family that wouldn't be able to cradle their child like my father is doing to his right now. The very thought tugged at my heart. He surely couldn't be capable of such a thing? My father, Captain James Hook of the Jolly Rodger, is a most fearsome man, but by no means is he an unfair one. I've seen man after man be robbed of their wealth and thrown off the plank. But they had been happy enough to give it away when I saw them. They practically threw it at his feet, didn't they? And the plank doesn't kill them. Even my father said: they just get dunked into the water. It's better than killing them, he would always say. Killing is such a waste. That being said, it does seem rather pointless. Who would give their life savings away and allow themselves to be pushed off a ship into icy waters? Were their lives really in danger, like the tribe's were just earlier today?

My head spun with all of those foreign thoughts. No, my father couldn't be a murderer. He has killed, but surely not out of cold blood. And Pan, the boy was a long-time enemy. He had caused my father such pains, yet I let myself become his friend? I had to finish this mission, to make it up for my disloyal thoughts towards my captain. I needed to swallow down this silly fear. If it's the captain's wish, then I must fulfil it, what was I thinking, betraying him, even just for a second.

"Father," I whispered, keeping my voice low as to not be overheard by our one-man audience. "Let me finish this. I have their trust. I will soon be taken to Pan's hideout. I have my flare gun still on me... Please, just one chance. I can do this, father."

My pleading seemed to have an effect on him, as my captain's eyes softened just slightly and his vice-like grip on me loosened and fell away as he weighed his options. I was sure what I had said was enough to convince him. Surely, he couldn't still think I was being disloyal to my own flesh and blood, my only family. My Captain.

"One more chance." He hissed under his breath. "Do not disappoint me, _Roo." _That last word was spat with enough venom to make me wince. I folded in on myself, being as submissive as possible to somewhat apologise. His brief wave of affection had most definitely washed away, leaving behind a bitter man, on the verge of banishing his own daughter. The very thought of being turned away by my kin tugged my heart violently. My mother had given me up just at the sight of my father. One more mistake, and he would just as easily do the same to me.

I could not fail him. Not again, not ever.

With a slight, sharp nod, my father vanished from sight into the shrubbery. The atmosphere easily lightened up after that, yet I stood rock solid, still radiating warmth from where he had enveloped me into a sharp embrace.

"WHAT was THAT?" Ke'lok hissed loudly. I had actually forgotten he was even there. My relaxed posture stiffened up yet again. He just saw everything. Not only does he now know I'm a girl, but he also knows I'm the daughter of Captain Hook. How could I word that out: 'sorry, I'm a pirate heiress who is here undercover... promise not to tell?'

No. No chance I could say that.

"Nothing." I mumbled, keeping my eyes trained on the floor. As much as I hated to admit it, but I felt that horrible tugging pain in my chest, coming from two areas, at the thought of having to part with him ultimately when I leave, yet if I stayed a moment longer, I would be shunned by my kind. I belong on my ship, but I had made too many bonds when on land. I need to terminate these bonds.

I lifted my gaze to meet his. His clear blue eyes probing my own for a very long minute until he finally spoke.

"Why?" He asked. "Why are you his comrade? He is _evil_, Roo. Can't you see that?" He grabbed my shoulders, shaking them gently. "He will only cause pain. And... you do not deserve pain."

I was taken aback. I wasn't expecting that; not in a million years. He should've been angry at me for being associated with pirates, for betraying and lying to him. Why hasn't he struck me yet? What does he mean by 'you do not deserve pain'?

I went through his words in my head for a moment, slightly irritated that he would question my being a _comrade._ He isn't my comrade. He's my only family. I wasn't too angry about that, as Ke'lok had a lot more reason to be angry. However, I used this slight irritation to fuel me in my next move.

"Well, I'm _so _sorry for my lineage!" I shot at him. "I was born this way! Nothing will ever, EVER change me! Especially not some silly flying boy and his band of hooligans. And _especially _not you." It tore me inside and out to say those words to his face, even though they were lies. Truth was, I did need him. I needed Peter and the lost boys. I needed warmth back in my life. I am one of them, after all. It's like telling a fish to fly, me being a pirate feels almost unnatural now I've had a chance to actually live.

Ke'lok's face scrunched up, showing a brief flash of hurt followed by deep confusion.

"I thought... you liked it here." He stammered. "Even when you threw a tantrum, it was all good fun."

"Exactly why I must leave." I whimpered. "Fun is a word from a foreign world to mine. I don't want to be here. I want to go home. Now please excuse me so I can tell Peter and collect my things." I brushed past him, careful not to give eye contact or any signs of changing my mind.

I had made a choice. No going back.

Time to go home and grow up.

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**oooooh, she is so independant! one thing I don't like about writing in a character that is so different to you is the fact that you aren't allowed to react the way you REEEAAALLLLY want to! soo frustrating I SWEAR!**

**I'll write soon, guys :)**

**(oh, and I have all my exams next week, I SHOULD be revising right now, so off I go :} hehe wish me luck!)**

**- Harley xox - **


	10. Change of Heart

**Heeeeyyy Yhhoooo Guuuyyyys! **

**Chapter 10 be here :D**

**THIS CHAPTER IS MEANT TO BE SHORT. It's more like a prolouge for chapter 11 :)**

**Read on, Rock on, fan fictioners! :) **

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"LEAVING?" Pan cried out. "You CAN'T leave!"

"Oh, can I not?" I raised my eyebrow in irritation. "Well, I wasn't here to ask for permission, I was simply giving you a notice of my soon-to-be absence."

"Well, I'M Peter Pan and I say that if you try leaving, I'll just have to kick your soon-to-be butt." He grinned wickedly, his playful green eyes narrowing in the prosperity of a challenge.

I tried to side-step him, to get past him and into the hideout. Once inside, I will prove myself of worth to my father. My flare gun lay just beyond the doorway.

"Enough of the games, Pan." I sighed. "I've had enough."

"There's never enough!" he exclaimed. "We have fun, don't we? We saved an entire village, went to a party, and received HUGE honours, ALL in one day! There's so much more Neverland has to offer. Just give it a chance, Ruben."

I admit he had a point. The past 24 hours had been the most dangerous, interactive and fun memories in my short life. All the more reason to leave. Too much fun simply can't be good for one' s soul.

Then again... I suppose just one more day can't hurt. I hadn't even explored the island properly. And once I'm back onboard, it's likely I won't be able to touch land again until I'm captain and give myself permission.

"You have one chance." I finally broke silence. "Tomorrow. Convince me to stay. Show me what Neverland really has to offer. Just how far are you willing to go for your new lost boy? We shall soon find out."

Pan's eyes lit up at my new game. He looked almost... surprised? Relieved? Whatever it was, it made me smile back at him. Could he really have committed all the terrible crimes against my father? Maybe if my Captain gave the boy a chance, and they both wiped a clean slate, then maybe I could be both captain and a lost boy/girl. The thought of leaving again after giving him such hope made me feel almost guilty for planting this red herring. Besides, it bought me some time to enjoy myself.

"Oh, and Ruben?" Pan turned to ask as I entered the hideout. He gently flew up off the ground and hovered over my ear, smirking. "Enough with the 'Lost Boy' act. You and I both know: you're really a girl."

Tomorrow could prove to be very interesting.

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**Why yes it could! :) **


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